Matthew LeTourneau - Firefighter Fatality - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau, age 42, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, died in the line of duty on January 6, 2018, in Philadelphia.

Matthew LeTourneau

Lieutenant LeTourneau was a member of the Philadelphia Fire Department. He was assigned to Engine 45, Platoon A, in North Philadelphia. He had 11 years of service.

He was known as Matt to his family and friends. 

Before 9:00 a.m., Matthew and dozens of other firefighters were fighting a fire at a row house in Philadelphia when the roof collapsed, trapping Matthew under the debris.

Matthew was rushed to a local hospital where, tragically, he was pronounced deceased.

A male resident of the rowhouse also died in the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Florian, Patron Saint of
Firefighters, pray for
Matthew and for those
who have lost him. 

Matthew had always wanted to be a career firefighter in Philadelphia. He started volunteering with the Springfield Fire Company when he was just a teenager. He had been an instructor and mentor at the Delaware County Emergency Services Training Center, where he taught several classes including fire behavior. Matthew joined the Philadelphia Fire Department in January of 2007 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2015. He had received a unit citation in 2010 and a letter of commendation for his service during the World Meeting of Families in 2015.

The members of the Philadelphia Fire Department are in mourning over the death of their brother. Matthew was a hard-working professional who was well-respected and well-liked by his comrades. Matthew will be forever remembered.

Matthew's loved ones are devastated over his sudden and tragic death. He was loved. He did his best. He will be forever mourned.

Matthew is survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members including his mother, who will forever miss him. 

Thank you for your service to others, Matthew.

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Pray for all who die suddenly. They are with us one moment and are gone before we can say goodbye.

Pray that Matthew is in Heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

John Michulka - A Good Samaritan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

John Michulka

Around 2:00 a.m. on December 27, 2017, John Michulka was driving on the Roosevelt Expressway in North Philadelphia. 

John is a tow truck driver and was in the area for work. 

John witnessed a minivan overturn and start on fire. He ran over to the scene and noticed the driver was unresponsive and unable to extract himself from the vehicle. 

John called over two other men in the vicinity and the three of them were able to pull the man to the side of the expressway. It was only a minute later that the minivan started to blow up. 

John said that when he saw the accident, he didn't know if an entire family was inside. He has five children himself and immediately wanted to help. 

The driver of the overturned minivan was taken to a local hospital and will recover. He was injured but not burned. 

The Good Samaritan reaches out
to strangers in danger.

John Michulka is a Good Samaritan.

Good Samaritans are the everyday heroes of the modern era.

God bless John Michulka and all who step up to help strangers in times of great distress. Amen.

Dennis DeVoe - Firefighter Fatality - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Lieutenant Dennis DeVoe, age 45, died in the line of duty on March 11, 2017, at a hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Dennis DeVoe

Lt. DeVoe was a member of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire. He had 21 years of service. 

Dennis was called "Denny" by many of his family and friends. 

In the evening hours of March 10, 2017, a fire broke out in a row house in Harrisburg.  The emergency call stipulated that people were trapped in the building. 

Dennis was responding to the alarm. At a controlled intersection his vehicle was struck by a stolen vehicle which was being driven by a 19 year old female who ran a stop sign. Dennis' vehicle was hit so hard that it was forced through a fence and into a parking lot. 

Dennis was rushed to a hospital where, tragically, on March 11, 2017, he succumbed to his injuries. 

Tragically, Ashanti Hughes, a small child, died as a result of the fire. The cause of the fire is believed to be a hoverboard which was being charged. While charging it burst into flames, setting the entire house on fire. 

Florian, Patron Saint of Firefighters,
pray for Dennis and for those who
have lost him. 

The 19 year old female driver fled the scene but was later arrested at a hospital. She is believed to have been intoxicated. 

This woman is innocent unless proven guilty. 

However, we offer this advice to all drivers: If you find that you are drunk, wasted or doped up on street drugs or prescription drugs or if you are falling asleep on your feet, do NOT drive. Call a family member or a friend for a ride; or take a taxi or a bus; or stay where you are until you sober up; or crawl home on your hands and knees. It will be better for you and for the world if you do.

Regret can last a lifetime.

A funding site has been set up to help the DeVoe family with expenses. 

Dennis and his family lived in Stewartstown. He had volunteered with fire departments in Fawn Grove, Stewartstown and Whiteford. He first started volunteering at age 16. 

The members of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire are in mourning over the death of their brother. Dennis was a dedicated professional who saved lives. He was a mentor to others. He was one of the good guys. He will be forever remembered.

Dennis' loved ones are devastated over his sudden and tragic death. He was loving and he was loved in return. He did his best. He will be forever mourned.

Dennis is survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members including his wife, Amy, and their children.

Thank you for your service to the community, Dennis. 

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Pray for all who die suddenly. They are with us one moment and are gone the next. 

God save us from the drunk and the doped up drivers. They are killing us, Father. Amen.

Pray that Dennis is in Heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Pray for Ashanti Hughes and for those who have lost her. Amen. 

Gabriel Lee - Firefighter - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Firefighter Gabriel Lee, age 42, of East Germantown, Pennsylvania, died while on duty on July 23, 2016, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Gabriel Lee

Firefighter Lee was a member of the Philadelphia Fire Department. He worked out of Ladder Company 12 in North Philadelphia. He had over 20 years of firefighting service. 

During the night shift, Gabriel had responded to several calls. When he returned to base he was working out in the firehall's gym. He was later found unresponsive by several other firefighters. 

First responders at the firehall rushed him to a local hospital where, tragically, he died. He may have suffered a heart attack. 

In 2001 Gabriel had received a distinguished service award. He was an accomplished amateur boxer. He was a member of a local Baptist church. 

Florian, Patron Saint of
Firefighters, pray for Gabriel
and for those who have
lost him. 

The Philadelphia Fire Department is in mourning over the death of their brother. Gabriel was a well-respected member of the Department who gave his all and who was there for his comrades. He will be forever remembered.

Gabriel's loved ones are devastated over his sudden and tragic death. He was a wonderful man who was gentle and kind in spirit. He did his best. He will be forever mourned.

Gabriel is survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members including his three children. 

Thank you for your service to the community, Gabriel. 

Pray for all who die in the line of duty. 

Pray for all who die suddenly. They are with us one moment and are gone before we can say goodbye.

Pray that Gabriel is in Heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Veronica Rodriguez - a victim of domestic murder - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Veronica Rodriguez, age 28, died on May 9, 2016, at her home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Veronica Rodriguez

She was raped and strangled by her former partner, Juan Camacho, age 25, who she had been living with. They were together for about 6 months. Veronica had recently broken off their relationship. 

Her four children ages 12, 10, 8 and 5, were in the house at the time of the tragedy. 

Juan Camacho texted the mother of Veronica after the murder, apologizing for murdering her daughter. He also confessed to a 911 operator. 

He fled the scene but was later apprehended by the Police. He has been charged with murder and rape.

Hindsight is 20-20 and it is easy to come up with advice after the fact. However, if you are a male who is experiencing a relationship breakdown and feel that you are losing control because of it:

~Talk about it. Speak to a friend or a family member or someone you trust.
~On the Internet, look up "crisis line" for your state or province and telephone them. They will have counsellors on the line who can talk to you about your situation.

Angels of God, pray for Veronica
and for those who have lost her.

~Go to the local hospital's emergency room and say that you are losing it and that you need help. You may need strong prescription drugs to calm you down. You may need immediate psychological counselling.
~Do anything you can to prevent yourself from murdering the person you once loved.

Veronica's loved ones are devastated over her sudden and tragic death. She was a good woman who was always happy. She loved her family. She did the best that she could. She will be forever mourned.

Veronica is survived by many loving friends and family members including her mother, Maribel; and her four children. 

Pray for justice for Veronica. 

God save us from those who say they love us and then kill us. Amen.

Pray for Veronica's children who have suffered an unspeakable loss.

Pray that Veronica is in heaven. Pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

John Wilding - a police officer who died in the line of duty - Scranton, Pennsylvania

Patrolman John Wilding, age 29, died in the line of duty on July 12, 2015, at a hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

John Wilding

Patrolman Wilding was a member of the Scranton Police Department. He had 15 months of service. 

In the early morning hours of July 11, 2015, John and other officers responded to a call regarding an armed robbery attempt in West Scranton. Officers found 3 males in a vehicle and tried to stop them. However, the vehicle fled and a pursuit ensued.  During the chase, the males bailed out of their vehicle and fled. John pursued them on foot and came to a small fence behind a restaurant or bar. He jumped over the obstacle not knowing that there was a 15 foot drop. He seriously injured his head in the fall. 

John was rushed to a nearby hospital where tragically he succumbed to his injuries the next morning. 

Three 17 year old juveniles - Tanner Curtis, Nasiir Jones and Isiah Malik Edwards, have been arrested and have been charged as adults with robbery, weapons possession and other charges. 

These three males are innocent unless proven guilty.  However, we put this question to the thieves who ultimately caused John to lose his life: What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?

Regret can last a lifetime. 

A fundraising site has been established to help the family with upcoming expenses. 

Michael, Archangel, Patron Saint
of the Police, pray for John and
for those who have lost him.

The Scranton Police Department is in mourning over the death of their young brother. He had a passion for police work - working his beat, trying to fight crime and trying to help the people in the community. He had a future in law enforcement. He will be forever remembered.

Friends describe him as a caring man and a professional officer. He checked in with business owners on his beat and chatted to high schoolers on their way home from school.  He was a positive police presence in his district. He will be forever missed.

John's loved ones are devastated over his sudden and tragic death. He was the type of young man who would open doors for people and help old women carry their groceries. He did his best. He will be forever mourned.

John is survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members including but not limited to his mother, Mary; his sister, Patrice; his wife, Kristen; his 7 year old daughter and his 3 year old son.

Thank you for your service to the community, John.  

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Pray for all who go to work and who die there.

Pray for all who die by misadventure. They are with us one moment and are gone before we can say goodbye.

God save us from the thieves.  They are leading us to our deaths, Father. Amen. 

Pray that John is in heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Robert Wilson III - Law Enforcement Fatality - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Police Officer Robert Wilson, age 30, died in the line of duty on March 5, 2015, at a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Officer Robert Wilson (L); Carlton Hipps (Mid); Ramone Williams (R)

Officer Wilson was a member of the Philadelphia Police Department. He had 8 years of service. He worked out of the City's 22nd District.

Officer Wilson and his partner were performing a security check at strip mall in Philadelphia. Officer Wilson went into a video store in the mall to get a video game as a birthday present for one of his sons. Two men, who are brothers, entered the store and announced a robbery. They did not notice that the police officer was inside the store.

Officer Wilson announced himself and an exchange of bullets occurred. He was shot

Michael, Archangel, Patron Saint of the
Police, pray for Robert and for those
who have lost him.

three times during the shootout. More than 50 shots were fired in total. The two men left the store and started shooting at Officer Wilson's partner who exchanged fire and wounded one of the robbers.

Robert Wilson was rushed to a nearby hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries.

The two robbers, Ramone Williams, age 24, and Carlton Hipps, age 29, have been charged with Officer Wilson's murder. One of the men was on parole for robbery at the time of the incident and both have extensive criminal records.

We put this question to the thieves who killed Robert: What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?

The Philadelphia Police Department is in mourning over the death of their brother. Police officials describe Robert as a hero who died in the service of his community. He was a dedicated and professional officer. He will be forever remembered.

Robert's loved ones are devastated over his sudden and tragic death. He will be forever mourned.

Robert is survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members including his two young children.

Thank you for your service, Robert.

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

God save us from the thieves. They are killing us, Father. Amen.

Pray that Robert is in heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Nicole Mathewson - a murder victim in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Nicole Mathewson

Nicole Mathewson, age 32, died sometime before December 15, 2014, at her home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The details of her death have not been released. However, it has been reported that she was physically assaulted to the extent that it resulted in her demise. The Police state that the entire circumstance was grisly.

Two suspects, Thomas Moore, age 25, and Marcus Rutter, age 16, have been arrested in connection with Nicole's death. Marcus Rutter has admitted to the police that he was involved in her death.

The motive was a random robbery. These men did not know Nicole. Her debit card was stolen and used at an ATM to withdraw $500. from her bank account. 

The 16 year old will be charged as an adult including charges of homicide, burglary and robbery. 

Thomas Moore (L); Marcus Rutter (R)

Anyone with information about this murder is asked to contact city police at 735-3300. Tipsters also may call Lancaster City/County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-322-1913 or anonymously text LANCS plus a message to 847411 (TIP411).

A fundraiser for funeral costs has been set up by friends at http://www.gofundme.com/iy7ga8.

Nicole was a 6th grade math teacher at Brownstown Elementary School.  She had taught at the school for seven years. School officials describe her as an excellent teacher and a dutiful employee who was well respected by her colleagues. She was a team player. She had a positive impact on her students. She will be forever remembered. 

Friends stated that Nicole lived life boisterously and whole-heartedly.  She will be forever missed.

Nicole was a member of the Community Fellowship Church where she was a youth leader. 

We put this question to the thieves who killed Nicole: What does it profit a man if

Light a candle for Nicole.  Light her way to Heaven.

he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?  

Regret can last a lifetime. 

Nicole's loved ones are devastated over her senseless and tragic death. She is described as a good hearted young woman who affected many people in a positive way. She was a woman of faith who tried to help others. She will be forever mourned.

Nicole is survived by many loving colleagues, friends and family members including her father, Mark.

Pray for justice for Nicole.  

God save us from the thieves. They are killing us, Father.

Pray that Nicole is in heaven. Pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Joyce Craig-Lewis - Firefighter - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Joyce Craig-Lewis

Firefighter Joyce Craig-Lewis, age 36, died in the line of duty on December 9, 2014, at a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Joyce was a member of the Philadelphia Fire Department. She had 11 years of service.

Firefighter Craig-Lewis was one of a number of firefighters who responded just before 3:00 a.m. to a residential fire in the West Oak Lane district of Philadelphia. An elderly woman was inside the home and was rescued.

A group of firefighters advanced into the basement of the rowhouse and were then told to withdraw when the fire escalated. Somehow, during this time, Joyce became trapped and issued a mayday call. Comrades were able to extricate her and to perform lifesaving procedures.  She was rushed to a local medical center. Tragically, Joyce was pronounced deceased at approximately 4:00 a.m.

An investigation is being undertaken.

Joyce is the city's first female firefighter to perish in the line of duty. 

Florian, Patron Saint of
Firefighters, pray for Joyce
and for those who have
lost her

The Philadelphia Fire Department is in mourning over the death of their sister. Joyce is described as a hard-working and dedicated firefighter. She had a feisty personality and a sense of humor. She will be forever remembered.

Joyce's loved ones are devastated over her sudden and tragic death. She will be forever mourned.

Joyce is survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members including her son and daughter. 

Thank you for your service to the community, Joyce. 

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Pray for all who die by misadventure. They are with us one moment and are gone before we can say goodbye.

Pray that Joyce is in heaven. Pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Melissa Thomas - robbed and murdered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Melissa Thomas, age 29, died on February 2, 2014, on the street outside a bar in Philadelphia.

Melissa and another woman were out partying and were at a bar a few blocks from the home Melissa shared with her mother. Melissa and her friend were singing karaoke that night. They left the bar at about 2:30 a.m. and were just outside the door when two men approached them and robbed them at gunpoint, grabbing their purses.

During the scuffle, one of the men shot Melissa twice in the chest. She died at the scene.

The other woman, age 34, was shot once in the arm.  She is in the hospital as of this posting.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334. The city is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Melissa wasn't married and had no children. She took care of her mother.

She played basketball and pool, and took part in a neighborhood drill team. She wanted to be a mechanic, and was about to become a full member in a local car club.

Light a candle for Melissa.
Light her way to Heaven.

She always had her hair dyed in some wild color. She sang in her church choir. She loved and helped her two godchildren. She loved to cook and she loved to dance.

Her family and friends are deeply mourning her tragic and unnecessary death.

Melissa is survived by many loving friends and relatives including her mother, Pamela Campbell; her father; her sister, Tanya Mapp; and her brothers.

Pray for justice for Melissa.

God save us from the thieves. They are killing us, Father.

God save us from the Lost Ones who kill us on the street.

Pray that Melissa is in heaven. Pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.